The effect of Qigong exercise on state anxiety levels of inpatients in psychiatric wards: A randomized controlled study.
Elcin Babaoglu, Aydan Akkurt Yalcinturk, Emel Erdeniz Gures, Asli Zeynep Sipahi, Selma Dogan
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2024.103064
Summary
A single 40-minute Qigong session significantly reduced state anxiety in psychiatric inpatients. In a study involving 70 participants, those practicing Qigong showed a mean post-test anxiety score of 27.20, compared to 39.72 in the control group. Within the Qigong group, anxiety levels dropped from an initial score of 38.42 to 27.20 after the session, highlighting a substantial decrease. These findings suggest that Qigong can be an effective intervention for managing state anxiety among psychiatric nursing patients, potentially improving clinical outcomes.
Abstract
Qigong is a mind-body exercise that originated in China and is often described as a form of meditation or movement therapy. While the existing literature has investigated the impact of Qigong exercises on trait anxiety in outpatients, there is limited research on their influence on state anxiety in inpatients. This study examined the effect of Qigong exercise on state anxiety levels of inpatients in psychiatric wards. This study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Seventy inpatients participated in the study, with 35 in each group. In the intervention group, the STAI-I form was used to assess state anxiety levels before (Test 1) and after (Test 2) a single 40-minute session of Qigong. The mean post-test scores of the intervention group (27.20±5.57) were significantly lower than those of the control group (39.72±10.84). Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed between the mean test-1 (38.42±9.7) and test-2 scores (27.2 ± 5.57) within the intervention group. A single 40-minute Qigong exercise session reduced state anxiety levels in psychiatric inpatients and reduced the risk of potential adverse outcomes associated with state anxiety. Practitioners may consider the use of Qigong exercise in the management of state anxiety in clinical practice, when making clinical decisions.